Williams Lake Fishing Guide, King County, Washington

• Overview

  In Washington, Williams Lake falls inside King County. Height above sea level is 4,603 feet. Small at around 13 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Some 24 miles away sits Tanner, the nearest settlement. It is 45 miles to Bellevue, the nearest city. Within a short run: Lake Rebecca (1.2 miles), 1.2 miles away is La Bohn Lakes, Foehn Lake (1.2 miles), 1.2 miles away is Lake Ivanhoe and Tank Lakes (1.3 miles). This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Williams Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish documented in King County include Chum salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon and sockeye salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. The shape of Williams Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 54°F; the cold one sits at 22°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Ice-out usually falls in early May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Williams Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is Lake Rebecca, 1.2 miles out. Confirm before you fish Williams Lake.